End of Fast Pass...

[lovin'fl]

Honestly, I don't see why Disney WOULDN'T give on-site visitors a leg up over off-site. I mean, people staying on-site ARE paying more. So why shouldn't they get better privileges?

I agree. The local AP holder pops in to visit the parks but they aren't paying for resort stays or dining or souvenirs. They are crowding the parks and using the FP and not really bringing in any $$$ for the mouse. Non-resort guests should have to purchase the FP+ like they do at Universal.

 

[thunderbug548]

I agree. The local AP holder pops in to visit the parks but they aren't paying for resort stays or dining or souvenirs. They are crowding the parks and using the FP and not really bringing in any $$$ for the mouse. Non-resort guests should have to purchase the FP+ like they do at Universal.

They do have special privileges. They are the EMH and the dining plan. And yes, local AP holders do buy souvenirs and food and do stay on property. I really don't understand where the hate comes from for locals. Yes, we get discounts. If I went to your local amusement park I wouldn't whine because you got a discount and I didn't. FL is a tourist state and it's not necessarily year round so Disney needs/wants to fill the parks. And we are here to help do just that! Year round!

 

[disneyfreak33]

I will put this in the utter nonsense category.

Sorry to say but Disney is all about money why would they do something like this to shortchange themselves.

You can put this rumor in with a grain of salt.

 

[Planogirl]

Honestly, I don't see why Disney WOULDN'T give on-site visitors a leg up over off-site. I mean, people staying on-site ARE paying more. So why shouldn't they get better privileges?

Offsite visitors often pay more for passes and food. No free dining for these people! They don't get the many extras already given to onsite guests so why should they pay for passes that don't provide the same benefits?

It really works both ways. I can see paying more for FP+ but I can't see completely excluding them.

 

[Spacedog1975]

FP+, EMH, transport, these are all on-site benefits.
If I can get FP+ and FP with on-site, I'm perfectly happy.
If the non-onsite people can get FP but not FP+, I'm perfectly happy.

Honestly, if the non-onsite people can get FP and FP+ but we get to keep the original EMH (3 hours, etc) I'd be perfectly happy.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If they canned non-resort fastpass...it would not lead to mass boycotts, rally's where annual passes are burned, or honestly probably nothing more than a statistical glitch in the short or
Long term.

Wdw has not suffered a statistical backlash
From the consumers in 40 years...it's not gonna start now. They're insulated.

Fl residents are gonna go (griping or not), annual passholders are still gonna renew, and it might even drive the demand for on property rooms up (and prices with it)

I'm not stating anything but the obvious here.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Could one of you AP holders advise me if APs run from 1/1 to 12/31 or if they run from purchase date to anniversary?

 

[wlmfoster]

Though resort guests are obviously a "rapt audience", DS would not do anything to segregate any sector of the market. IF you have a paper ticket the first opportunity to schedule any MDE passes are at the park. Lots of luck. I think there still has to be a mechanism for the walk up crowd to experience the guaranteed FP. The whole purpose of the fast pass is locking in those "must dos" so you have time to relax and spend $$$$. They need to create this free time for everyone in the park and the old FP is the best way to do it. Also, the infrastructure is already there. What I could see them doing is increasing the flexibility/number of FP+s for the resort guests (let's face it, they are shelling a ton of $$$ to stay on property). My thoughts.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Could one of you AP holders advise me if APs run from 1/1 to 12/31 or if they run from purchase date to anniversary?

Anniversary

 

[AJRitz]

Could one of you AP holders advise me if APs run from 1/1 to 12/31 or if they run from purchase date to anniversary?

An AP runs for one full year from the date it is activated. You can buy an AP voucher, and wait to activate it until you get to WDW. If you buy a voucher on January 1, 2014, you don't make it to WDW for the first time that year until March 1, 2014, and don't activate the AP until March 2, 2014 (when you want to go into a park for the first time), then March 2, 2014 is your AP anniversary date. The pass is good through March 2, 2015 (meaning you can use the pass on March 2, 2015, but not on March 3, 2015).

As for the C&C article, it's pure garbage. There's absolutely no evidence to support their claims. I guess Chip must have noticed traffic dropping a bit, and needed to generate an excuse for people to visit the site. The claims it makes are contrary to multiple public statements to the contrary about FP+ (and Magic Bands) being made available to off-site guests as well as on-site guests once the program goes live, made by high level Disney execs including both Tom Staggs and Bob Iger. Not to mention that the supposed go live date is completely ridiculous - there is still testing scheduled through most of the month of October.

 

[SuperDan523]

Could one of you AP holders advise me if APs run from 1/1 to 12/31 or if they run from purchase date to anniversary?

Purchase date to anniversary. If the original AP was purchased as an upgrade from a ticket, the start date is supposed to be the date the original pre-upgrade ticket was first used for park entry. I say supposed to because there have been a few people (me included) who have upgraded a ticket to an AP at the end of their stay and had the system register the expiration as the date of the upgrade not the date of first use.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

Could one of you AP holders advise me if APs run from 1/1 to 12/31 or if they run from purchase date to anniversary?

Actually they run one full calendar year from date of activation. Thus, you can buy an AP 6-8 months ahead of time (say in January before your July trip) to avoid the annual May/June price increase. When you activate the AP on the first day of your trip - it's good for a year after that.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Though resort guests are obviously a "rapt audience", DS would not do anything to segregate any sector of the market. IF you have a paper ticket the first opportunity to schedule any MDE passes are at the park. Lots of luck. I think there still has to be a mechanism for the walk up crowd to experience the guaranteed FP. The whole purpose of the fast pass is locking in those "must dos" so you have time to relax and spend $$$$. They need to create this free time for everyone in the park and the old FP is the best way to do it. Also, the infrastructure is already there. What I could see them doing is increasing the flexibility/number of FP+s for the resort guests (let's face it, they are shelling a ton of $$$ to stay on property). My thoughts.

I agree with your take...

But Disney has spent twenty years "weeding out" the flexibility across the board... So I don't think they'd blink at basically thumbing at the walk up day crowds.

Their whole system is about counting heads ( to count dollars and reduce labor) as far in advance as possible... And making the place "reservation only" for Everything...

They probably schedule bathroom times
To reduce staff if they could...

The end game? More giftshop and bar time... The whole point and nothing but the point...

Perhaps exclusive "add-ons" in the future to fill the gaps that will be created by reservation only amusement rides.

Wishes, magic, dreams

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

As for the C&C article, it's pure garbage. There's absolutely no evidence to support their claims. I guess Chip must have noticed traffic dropping a bit, and needed to generate an excuse for people to visit the site. The claims it makes are contrary to multiple public statements to the contrary about FP+ (and Magic Bands) being made available to off-site guests as well as on-site guests once the program goes live, made by high level Disney execs including both Tom Staggs and Bob Iger. Not to mention that the supposed go live date is completely ridiculous - there is still testing scheduled through most of the month of October.

I tend to agree with you here. The real advantage to FP+ is that on-site guests with a reservation will be able to make FP reservations 60-days ahead of time. Thus the incentive to stay on-site. So when this system is up and running and all the disneyphiles are up at midnight exactly 60-days out booking FPs for Space, Splash and PotC, that'll leave FP's for Monsters Inc laughfloor, It's a small world, and the parade for the off-site crowd.

 

[WDWChloe]

There's no way this will happen. This is not caring for their passholders, and this definitely is a priority for continued revenue from valued guests.

If anything, fast passes, fastpass+, whatever, will be ONLY available for resort guests and passholders. All the more so to upgrade to an AP or to stay at one of the resorts. Kind of going along with EMH policy, only including passholders who are there for a day trip or so. This makes more sense than only resort guests. Being an AP, I would be unhappy if the rumor was confirmed... Just saying

 

[JeRmS]

I agree. The local AP holder pops in to visit the parks but they aren't paying for resort stays or dining or souvenirs. They are crowding the parks and using the FP and not really bringing in any $$$ for the mouse. Non-resort guests should have to purchase the FP+ like they do at Universal.

This is funny!!

I'm a local AP holder, I "popped" into Disney this weekend - with my $1600 worth of Annual Passes - and spent a whole load of money on food/drinks and souveniers (something along the lines of $400 probably).

Saying that we crowd the parks, use up the FP and don't bring in any money for the "mouse" is far from the truth in my opinion and in fact I'd be almost willing to bet that us local AP holders spend more at Disney in the course of a year than those that visit for a week or 10 days every year.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Purchase date to anniversary. If the original AP was purchased as an upgrade from a ticket, the start date is supposed to be the date the original pre-upgrade ticket was first used for park entry. I say supposed to because there have been a few people (me included) who have upgraded a ticket to an AP at the end of their stay and had the system register the expiration as the date of the upgrade not the date of first use.

Actually they run one full calendar year from date of activation. Thus, you can buy an AP 6-8 months ahead of time (say in January before your July trip) to avoid the annual May/June price increase. When you activate the AP on the first day of your trip - it's good for a year after that.

It feels like AP might be a good solution for me, but I wonder if on site benefits evaporate for AP users that then book an on site stay. In other words, do you lose EMH access/FP+/Magic Band if you use an AP with an onsite stay?

 

[WDWChloe]

I agree. The local AP holder pops in to visit the parks but they aren't paying for resort stays or dining or souvenirs. They are crowding the parks and using the FP and not really bringing in any $$$ for the mouse. Non-resort guests should have to purchase the FP+ like they do at Universal.

Hah. Haha. Have you actually visited WDW with an AP? besides my payments for our AP, we visit (day trip) at least once a month. Easily dropping $150 on dining, souvenirs, etc. for 2 people!

Actually, this next 3 day trip this month includes reservations at CRT and GF cafe and the KTTK tour. $$?!
Just saying, speak from experience. I don't have experience of spending top dollar for a week long WDW vacation, flying from out of state; but we make up for what we don't spend in other areas at the parks

 

[lovin'fl]

This is funny!!

I'm a local AP holder, I "popped" into Disney this weekend - with my $1600 worth of Annual Passes - and spent a whole load of money on food/drinks and souveniers (something along the lines of $400 probably).

Saying that we crowd the parks, use up the FP and don't bring in any money for the "mouse" is far from the truth in my opinion and in fact I'd be almost willing to bet that us local AP holders spend more at Disney in the course of a year than those that visit for a week or 10 days every year.

I'm a PAP holder...DVC memeber. I pay OOP for meals or pay for dining plan (nothing free for me). So, I am similar to you. I go about 13 days with my PAP. There are many locals who do just pop in for the parks and don't spend anything...probably more than are like you (who gets meals and souvies).

And for regular resort guests who get 'free' dining, we all know that it's not really FREE. They pay rack rate (beau-coup dollars) to get that stupid perk. Resorts guests do get EMH and I hope that continues as that, and the FP system, is the only way that we've been able to make park touring work for us.

 

[lovin'fl]

Hah. Haha. Have you actually visited WDW with an AP? besides my payments for our AP, we visit (day trip) at least once a month. Easily dropping $150 on dining, souvenirs, etc. for 2 people!

Actually, this next 3 day trip this month includes reservations at CRT and GF cafe and the KTTK tour. $$?!
Just saying, speak from experience. I don't have experience of spending top dollar for a week long WDW vacation, flying from out of state; but we make up for what we don't spend in other areas at the parks

I had an AP in 2011 and have PAP this year. Like I mentioned above, I am a DVC member who doesn't get free dining (we bought the DP for this Xmas trip and have used TIW card in the past).